Benefit Dinner Recap & Exciting 2013 News!

Hey everyone!

Been a couple of months since our last update... but so much has been happening.

We had our annual benefit dinner a couple of weeks ago on April 27^th. Agape Dance Group from UC Davis did a beautiful routine and we got to see the heart of Rapper Mickey Cho. 

The biggest thing about the night was we were able to share to heart and vision behind the new Children’s Home we are planning to open in 2014. Not all the accounting is done, but it looks like we were able to raise about $15,000 from the evening that will go towards the Children’s Home. Praise the Lord! We are aiming to raise about $50,000 this year for initial opening costs and about $1000 in monthly support to maintain the Children’s Home. If God has prompted you to partner with us in this please contact us at info@reactsministries.org

Photos from the event can be viewed here

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I’m also excited to announce our next fundraising event for the Children’s Home will be our 1^st ever Mudder-thon!

If you haven’t heard of Tough Mudder, it’s a grueling 13 mile obstacle course, with about 20 obstacles.  This is something I participated in last year and had a lot of fun doing it.  It got me thinking, why not turn this into an event.  So…if you’re up for the challenge…join us.

Contact me at clifton.jang@reactsministries.org.

It will be an awesome time of fellowshipping as well as an opportunity to get others involved by having them sponsor you to raise money for the Children’s Home.

Currently we have 5 people signed up! 

Click here to see a little about Tough Mudder

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The last thing I wanted to announce is we are sending out a Mission team in July this year.  I won’t talk too much about it, as we’ll save that for future posts. 

But the team will be going to Thailand and Cambodia from July 13-28^th.  

It’s never too early to start praying for the team! 

Thanks for reading!

- Clifton

New Year, New Start

Hey everyone!
First off, I wanted to apologize. I know we haven’t been able to upkeep the blog as
often as we would like. So….one thing we want to do this year in 2013 (I know it’s February 28th already) is update much more frequently.

So much has been going on, I don’t even know where to start! We have a bunch of exciting stuff to
announce pretty soon, so I guess I’ll start there. Our 3rd annual re:ACTS benefit dinner will be on April
28th, 2013. It’ll be at the same venue as last year. Wow, 3rd year! I love these dinners because it gives us a chance to share how God was able to use all of us together during the past year for His glory. It also gives us an opportunity to share our vision with those haven’t heard it before. We also get to update everyone on the coming things for the year… not to mention to just coming together and enjoying a great meal together.

For more info on the dinner go to:
http://www.reactsministries.org/2013benefitdinner

On another note, a couple of weeks ago something happened in San Francisco that greatly affected me. Yes, the 49ers lost the Super Bowl. And I took it quite hard. I wasn’t able to eat. I’d lie awake not being able to sleep, just replaying the game over and over in my mind. Everyone I came across, I HAD to talk about the game. It totally consumed me.

So here I am now, sitting… a little embarrassed that a game called football can affect me this much. :P But it also caused me to stop and think… am I not able to sleep after I learn of a child not having food or water. Or worse yet, not knowing Christ. When I come across people, why don’t I just blurt out how great Christ is cuz I just HAVE to say it? I want to be consumed by Christ, but sometimes am consumed by the world. I know I’m a work in progress, but sometimes wish I was a little further along.

So happy news… or Chinese New Years y'all! Here’s to 2013 and to God continuing His work in our hearts and all over the world! God bless you all!

- Clifton

Where 2 or more meet togethere in His name....

Today went shopping for food and prizes for the carnival on Saturday. Then we took out the college kids for a shrimp dinner. The food was great, and the fellowship was too.  After dinner we headed back to the college house where we had a time of singing and then separated into small groups with them for a time of sharing and prayer. It was both challenging and interesting hanging out with the college kids, seeing how they interact with each other. We shared our most embarrassing moment, what God was teaching us and a prayer request. It was a blessing to be able to thank them in person for their prayers last year while I was in the hospital. Currently there are 13 of them with studying ranging from music, to English to business.

Friday morning was a special treat, we were able to go to the High school to see a few of the seniors perform in a talent competition. Then we went back and started preparing to cook dinner for the staff and kids of Khaodee. We decided to serve chicken and pork burritos and nachos. Eating Mexican food was a new experience for the kids. The team worked like a well oiled machine; slicing and dicing, mixing and serving, spooning and wrapping. Then after everyone had their fill, it was time to get ready for the carnival. It was neat to work with a couple of the college kids. Each day winding down I’m starting to miss the kids..I’m going to miss them……..

In His care

Kit V

Planting rice & fellowshippin!

Tuesday-

God is good.  He plans out our trip in ways we can't imagine.  He blesses us  with opportunities it is impossible to plan for.  On Tuesday, the high school kids didn't have school.  So the team was able to spend time with them.  We worked on the rice field, planting rice for hours.  It was some back breaking work which the team had never experienced, but it was well worth it.  Helping Khaodee with their physical needs, and more importantly spending time working side by side with the High Schoolers, fellowshipping, sharing, and having fun.  :)  After eating a feast of a meal for lunch, we went back down to finish the rice field for the next couple of hours.  Then....we went down to the river and played in the water!  So fun!  Needless to say, this gave the team a pretty good nights sleep :)

Wednesday-

Every year on these  trips, we ask Khaodee what their needs our.  What can we help with?  Painting? Building a chicken coop?  This year, they said the kids needed more fellowship.  Small group sharing and prayer.  The kids work so hard each day, there isnt much time for this.  So on wednesday, the High School kids had a test early in the morning, and then had the day off.  So, we picked up the kids, grabbed some drinks and pizza, and went off to have a picnic with the kids.  What a awesome time of fellowship with the kids!  After eating, we had some worship with the kids, and then split up into small groups of 3-4.  Another blessing, is that usually we have Gai as a translator, but God had other plans.  We were blessed to have 4 translators with us on most of this trip!  So we were able to do the small groups.  We had the kids share:

1. Most embarrassing moment
2. Something God has taught them recently
3. Prayer request

I can't believe how much the kids were longing for this.  An outlet to share and pray for one another.  Tears flowed and prayers were lifted up.  Praise God!  We didn't even have enough time to finish!  When we got back to Khaodee at night, the High School kids kept coming up to me asking if we could do it again.

God calls us to meet the physical needs of those in need.  But more importantly, God calls us to help disciple and grow other brothers and sisters in Christ through prayer and the Word.  Word!

CJ

PS sorry no pictures....the internet is super slow here  :/

The Praying Grandmas!

Today we went to the Overbrook Hospital to visit and pray with a group of Thai Christians for the patients. While there we were split up into groups. What was awesome was that in almost each of our groups we had a “grandmother” figure that spoke English and was able to share and interpret all the prayer requests of each of the patients.  Most all the patients we came into contact with graciously allowed us to pray for them regardless of their religion. Just being able to pray for people with various ailments and hurts in a hospital was a great experience. Afterwards I found out that this was the only hospital in Chiang Rai that had a ministry of this type. Every week volunteers would visit patients to pray for them. And in because of those faithful prayer warriors, patients have come to Christ. I can only imagine if we had something like that back at home at all the hospitals, the possibilities of sharing with patients the chance to know someone who could heal and cleanse their lives forever.  

P Bo- even though theres a picture of CJ  : P

Days 6 and 7!

Day 6 - Bangkok

We went back to the slum community that we visited yesterday (day 5) with King’s Kids ministry. On Saturday mornings, King’s Kids ministry goes to the community to teach Bible lessons, sing songs, play games, etc. to the kids there. Our team taught the kids “Making Melodies”. Just like the kids at the school at Ratchaburi, the kids in this community had fun learning the motions and singing the song.

After singing a few more songs, one of the King’s Kids leaders read the story of Moses and the burning bush. When he finished reading the story, he asked the kids some questions and it was encouraging to see how excited they were to answer the questions.

We also got to play some games with the kids. Even though most of us weren’t able to communicate with the kids, we all had fun playing with them and the kids were not shy to play or interact with us. 

Later that afternoon we took a short flight to Chiang Rai, rode on the back of the extremely bumpy Khaodee trucks (where one of our members managed to sleep through the entire ride), and arrived at Khaodee. SAWADEE KHAODEE!!!

Day 7 - Chiang Rai

Today was our first Sunday in Thailand. What better way to start our time in Khaodee than Sunday worship with the children. It’s always a blessing worshiping at Khaodee. Even though everyone in the worship room doesn’t speak the same language, it was a blessing praising God together.

During our time here at Khaodee, our team will be playing games with the kids that ties into salvation. Tonight was our first night and we played a game called “River Crossing”. The kids were very competitive in trying to complete the game. The point of the game was for each team of about 8-9 people to cross the river using 5 rafts. Any time someone stepped into the river, the team would have to start over again. Unlike the game where you have to start over again when you step into the river, as Christians, we don’t have to start our relationships with God over again each time we sin.

Julie

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will

never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do

the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall

lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my

Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have

eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:37-40

BANGKOK!!!!

Sawadee Ka from Bangkok!
We arrived in Bangkok safely yesterday. This morning, we were able to have some down time getting massages and eating dessert around town. One of the team members said it was the BEST massage he's ever had!
In the afternoon, we had an opportunity to visit a local childrens home. A husband and wife team takes care of 8 teenagers at Baan Chu Jai childrens home. They take in children who are at risk for various reasons and provide shelter, food, and send them to school. They also teach them about God and pray with and for them constantly. They seemed like they were a one big family. We spent some time hearing about the kids' background, met few of the kids and prayed with them. It was encouraging to meet the people who are doing the actual leg work for God, full-time, in these areas of need. The people in the various ministries have been all very himble, asking for nothing more than our prayers. It was very evident that they live solely on their faith in God.
After visiting the childrens home, we headed over to the Bangkok slum community. This is the second slum community we've visited so far and the conditions were pretty bad. Their homes were built with some metal sheets and wood boards, sitting on top of garbage and nasty green still water. It is a 400 family community and out of the 400, only 5 were christians. We visited the house of the first christian in the community and a few others. But the story that stuck with us the most was of the people in the last house we visited.
In the last house, we met P'Mu and her daughter. She used to worship many idols before she became a christian. After she accepted Christ, although her circumstances make it very difficult for her to go to worship, she HAS to go worship God. She suffers from various illnesses, but about three months ago, she had to get her leg amputated because of diabetes. Ever since then, her 13 year old daugther became her sole care taker and has not been attending school. P'Mu has a wheelchair but cannot easily get around, even to see the doctors, because of the road conditions in the community and the wheelchair is too heavy for her daugther to lift. They can't even catch a taxi because the wheelchair is too big. She could have told us that she needed and wanted many things in life, but told us that only thing she really wants to do is to go to church and worship God. She told us about the times, when her daughter pushed her in the wheelchair in the pouring rain to go to worship on Tuesday nights. Her story put a lot of us in tears, grateful for her faith in God even in the worse conditions. Before we left, we held P'Mu and her daughter and prayed with her. Seeing these people and hearing their stories made me reflect on my attitude towards worship. Am I absolutely always ready to worship God no matter where and when in any condition?

MJ